(UPDATED at 7 a.m. PDT, July 4, 2014)
The Butts Fire is still listed at 4,300 acres and the incident management team is calling it 55 percent contained. Two residences and seven outbuildings have been destroyed and all evacuation orders have been lifted. Favorable weather conditions led to a successful burning operation Thursday on the Lake County side of the fire.
This will be our last report on the fire.
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(UPDATED at 2 p.m. PDT, July 3, 2014)
CAL FIRE reported at 1:30 p.m. that most of the evacuations on the Butts Fire north of Napa, California have been lifted.
Evacuations have been lifted along Butts Canyon Rd north to Snell Valley Rd
An Evacuation Advisory is in effect for residents in Lake County on Butts Canyon Road from the Lake County line to Langtry Estates.
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(UPDATED at 9:55 a.m. PDT, July 3, 2014)
The Butts Fire north of Napa, California has grown to 4,300 acres with 30 percent containment according to CAL FIRE. Winds Wednesday afternoon were from the west at 7 to 15 mph with gusts up to 21, while the relative humidity bottomed out at 17 percent at the Konocti weather station north of the fire. The forecast for Thursday is for 93 degrees, a 7 mph wind out of the south, and a relative humidity of 27 percent — not extreme weather, but it is likely that the fuel moisture is very low, which can contribute to elevated fire behavior. Similar weather is in the forecast for Friday.
An Evacuation Order remains in effect along Butts Canyon Rd from James Creek Road to Snell Valley Road, as well as the Berryessa Estates. An Evacuation Advisory is in effect for residents in Lake County on Butts Canyon Road from the Lake County line to Langtry Estates.
CAL FIRE reports that two residences and seven outbuildings have been destroyed.
Great shot of a @CAL_FIRE airtanker dropping on the #ButtsFire. Over 1,000 firefighters battling this fire. pic.twitter.com/TE6akkHe4q
— CAL FIRE PIO Berlant (@CALFIRE_PIO) July 3, 2014
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(UPDATED at 7:40 a.m. PDT, July 2, 2014)
The Butts Fire 26 miles north of Napa, California slowed down overnight when the wind decreased and the relative humidity went up into the 50s. CAL FIRE reported Wednesday morning the size is now 3,200 acres with 30 percent containment. Crews made “good progress”, they said. The fire continues to burn northeast into Lake County toward Snell Peak. Five structures have been destroyed. The weather forecast for the fire area predicts 94 degrees, winds generally out of the south at 8 mph, and a relative humidity of 25 percent. Firefighting resources assigned to the Butts Fire include 1,000 personnel, 57 engines, 10 hand crews, and 12 dozers.
#ButtsFire last night at 21:07 from Howell Mtn. Thank you fire crews! pic.twitter.com/hZuFaszqYc — RobertFoleyVineyards (@RobertFoleyWine) July 2, 2014
Remarkably, this one home didn’t go up in flames amid extensive #ButtsFire burn area pic.twitter.com/NzcbfYKBMH
— Evan Sernoffsky (@EvanSernoffsky) July 2, 2014
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(Originally published at 7 p.m. PDT, July 1, 2014; updated at 9:10 p.m.)
A fast-spreading fire 26 miles north of Napa, California burned about 2,700 acres by 8 p.m. PDT, on Tuesday, about six hours after it started. Video footage from KTVU showed several structures that had burned. At 6 p.m. CAL FIRE was calling it 30 percent contained. According to CAL FIRE, evacuations are taking place along Butts Canyon Road as well as the Berryessa Estates area. We put together the maps below showing the approximate location of the Butts fire, based on heat detected by a satellite at 3:22 p.m. PDT on Tuesday.
The Butts Fire is 8 miles northeast of Calistoga and 9 miles southeast of Middleton.
The suppression of the fire is complicated by firefighting resources being needed for heavy initial attack on numerous new fires in northern California started from lightning. Part of the state is under a Red Flag Warning or Fire Weather Watch.
The Konocti RAWS weather station 20 miles north of the fire at 3 p.m. recorded a 9 mph southeast wind gusting to 17, a relative humidity of 18 percent, and a temperature of 98 degrees. The forecast for the fire area for Wednesday is 95 degrees, an 8 mph wind out of the south, and a relative humidity of 23 percent. Some of the aerial firefighting radio traffic can be heard on Broadcastify. Below are several photos and other information about the fire distributed on Twitter.
California- This is the command Ctr for #ButtsFire in #Napa #KTVU pic.twitter.com/U8hxwoqD0m” @arasmusKTVU — IncendiosForestales (@chilewildfires) July 2, 2014
#ButtsFire in Napa County continues to grow at a rapid rate. Lots of fire equipment and aircraft assigned. pic.twitter.com/3deqtZ0FJb — CAL FIRE PIO Berlant (@CALFIRE_PIO) July 1, 2014
Smoke in background from #ButtsFire in Pope Valley.. firefighters need this.. marine layer to help raise humidity. pic.twitter.com/0oiGdI6yJN — Sandhya Patel (@SandhyaABC7) July 2, 2014
RT @YoloSolanoAir “Here’s a look at the plume of the #ButtsFire via @nbcbayarea: pic.twitter.com/qjEMuPxTIe #AirQuality” http://t.co/6nQcN03us0 — NBC Bay Area (@nbcbayarea) July 2, 2014
“@CBSSF: Homes being evacuated as fast-moving #wildfire burns up #SanJose hills #Fire http://t.co/9X79pBMhEu pic.twitter.com/xlh85bSsnH” — Amelia Martinez (@NeoMayanEra) July 2, 2014
Two DC10s on USFS exclusive use contract… the third is coming on soon in a hybrid of availability (Tanker 911 and Tanker 912).
Johnny… CAL FIRE could have contracted for T911 or T912 before the bidding process, but instead they chose for an exclusive use contract with a DC7 and a CWN contract with an Electra.
The VLATs are on USFS exclusive use contracts and shared with the various states based upon availability and priority of the mission.
I worked up N of Middletown up on Cobb Mtn. years ago. Dry dry country, even in a wet year.
When you needed it (DC 10) from the Feds it was “out of service”?